TAXILA: The Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) has achieved the target of producing 20 million rounds of 9mm ammunition per annum.

It achieved the target by importing a plant of the ammunition from Turkey.

Sources aid 9mm was a high demand ammunition both in the public and private sector as it was commonly used by defence, civil and armed law enforcement agencies besides private security companies as well as individuals.

According to the sources, the newly-installed plant has the capacity to produce 20 million rounds per year in a single shift.

Earlier, POF was using a relatively old plant having an annual capacity of five million rounds and was struggling to meet the market needs.

The sources said POF had unified its two versions of 9mm known as 1z and 2z for pistols and MP5s, respectively, to a single version to end confusions and misconceptions of the users.

The recent incentives by the government for the Chinese industry under the banner of Pak-China Free Trade Agreement have flooded the local market with the Chinese-made ammo. They said lack of a regulatory body in the field has given dealers a free hand and poses serious challenges to the indigenous manufacturing capacities.

The sources said despite tremendous increase in the prices of copper, lead and Zinc in the international market, the main raw materials of the ammo, POF had passed on the advantage of the new plant to consumers by reducing the rates by seven rupees per round and fixed it at Rs83 and committed to reducing it further as soon as the prices of raw materials stabilise in the international market.

The sources added that once again dealers were using the price as a reference to selling the imported ammo.

“POF is planning to counter this with a comprehensive marketing strategy and enhance its direct customer access,” said the sources.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2022